SAEDNEWS: Courtship and Marriage Customs in Some Countries Are Very Strange
According to Saed News website, quoting Young Journalists Club, the customs and traditions of marriage in our country, which is made up of different cultures, are very fascinating. Sometimes, the traditions of one culture may seem strange to another! But what about other countries? Do they also have unusual customs? In this short article, we take a look at 9 countries and 9 strange wedding traditions—from matchmaking to marriage.
1. Scotland: Dirty the bride and groom!
This Scottish wedding tradition is usually performed on the bride, and sometimes the groom. The bride’s friends throw leftover food and waste over her so she becomes completely dirty! Eggs and fish are among the most popular items used.
2. Fiji: Give a whale tooth to the bride’s family!
Fijian culture is a rich blend of indigenous, Chinese, Indian, and European influences, with diverse languages, foods, clothing, crafts, music, and beliefs. In some parts of Fiji, the groom must present a necklace made of whale teeth to the bride’s family.
3. China: Break through the bridesmaids’ wall!
In every marriage, the couple is not only facing each other but also each other’s friends. In China, there is a tradition where the groom must break through a “wall” formed by the bride’s bridesmaids to prove how much he loves her.
4. Mauritius: Make the bride gain weight!
While many brides go on diets before their wedding to lose weight, in Mauritius it is the opposite. Curvier brides are considered more attractive. Therefore, the bride’s family may even force her to eat as much as possible before the wedding.
5. Wales: Give a wooden spoon to the bride!
Wales is one of the historic kingdoms that, along with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, forms the United Kingdom. Welsh weddings have their own traditions. For example, a groom who wants to show ultimate love for his future wife gifts her a carved wooden spoon. In the past, this tradition was so important that people used loans or installment plans to afford it.
6. Puerto Rico: Place a doll on the bride!
This tradition may seem a bit frightening, but it has a beautiful meaning. In Puerto Rico, a doll is placed on the bride’s dress and also on the table beside the bride and groom as a symbol of good luck and happiness for the couple.
7. South America: One, two, three—jump!
Countries in South America have various unusual traditions. One of them is the “jumping over the broom” ritual. In this ceremony, the bride and groom jump over a broom together, symbolizing their journey through life as a couple.
8. South Korea: Hit the groom with fish and frogs!
Historically, North and South Korea shared similar cultures, but after their separation in 1945, cultural differences emerged. In South Korean weddings, the groom is sometimes beaten with fish, frogs, or wooden sticks. This ritual takes place the night before the wedding and is meant to test the groom’s strength and resilience. Today, it is also seen as a symbol of his ability to handle business and life challenges.
9. France: Drink from a toilet!
France is known as one of Europe’s cultural centers with rich traditions. However, in this old and rather unpleasant custom, the bride and groom drink a beverage from a toilet bowl. For this ritual, a clean and new toilet bowl is used, but it still appears unappealing.
